Community Tasting Note

le fouloir wrote:

Saturday, April 30, 2011 - I chose this '85 Beaucastel because the cork was emerging from the foil and was covered in mold. The wine had evaporated down to the shoulder so the bottle seemed at high risk for having turned. Besides that, the last bottle I had drunk in the late 90's seemed like it had lost some of its pizzazz from prior years.

Now that I've set the stage, let me say that this bottle proves the adage that appearances can be deceiving. I decanted the wine, but gave little time to breathe. The wine was younger looking than I had imagined it would be. Lots of fruit and very little bricking. Over the next hour, the wine has continued to improve. It has a rich and inky color and the CdP flavors (especially those unique to Beaucastel) are fully integrated and all showing well: cherry fruit, leather, tobacco, sweet earth, and the finish is delightfully long.

Ah, those were the good old days! I have one '85 left from the case at $14.99 per bottle I bought in 1988.

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